Commercial Cards Lean Into Data Integration Opportunity

PYMNTS.com | October 24, 2019

Commercial cards remain a small, but growing, part of the B2B payments ecosystem, thanks in part to their versatility. The latest in commercial card innovation reflects that, with new solutions ranging from cards designed for small businesses with high travel spending to products designed with more flexible credit limits for cash-strapped startups. But a commonality in the latest offerings from Visa, American Express and Brex is the industry’s embrace of data, and data integration.

Spotlight

Explore cutting-edge revenue strategies in the hospitality industry. Adopt the latest hospitality management trends to optimize the revenue stream.

Spotlight

Explore cutting-edge revenue strategies in the hospitality industry. Adopt the latest hospitality management trends to optimize the revenue stream.

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Hospitality Management

Sandman Hotel Group Announces the Opening of Sandman Signature Fort Worth Downtown Hotel

globenewswire | July 19, 2023

Sandman Hotel Group and its parent company, Northland Properties, are excited to announce that the new Sandman Signature Fort Worth Downtown Hotel is now open. Situated at 810 Houston St. in the century-old W.T. Waggoner Building, this opening marks the brand’s second Signature-branded hotel property in Texas. Originally constructed in 1920, this 20-story building was known for being the tallest in the State of Texas and the Southwest. The building is u-shaped on the upper floors and is one of the few buildings in Fort Worth to position light toward the front of the building and making it a design feature. It is part new-build and part carefully adapted reuse of some of the original 1920 design features, such as its historical exterior, ornate lobby entrance, vaulted towers, banking hall with teller cages, and its beautiful interior marble finishings. Dedicated to preserving this iconic building, the team at Sandman Hotel Group has designed this hotel to perfectly complement the city’s historical heritage and modern creative energy. Robert Sturns, Economic Development Director for the City of Fort Worth, says he is thrilled with Northland’s commitment to preserving the iconic building, “This project celebrates Fort Worth’s past while still supporting the current and future growth of downtown, and we look forward to the Sandman Signature Fort Worth Downtown Hotel as being part of our growing community.” Owned and operated by Sandman Hotel Group, Sandman Signature Fort Worth Downtown Hotel features 245 new, premium-style guest rooms complete with spa-inspired bathrooms and modern amenities, and a lively lobby bar to be enjoyed by hotel guests and the local community. Guests will find a modern fitness facility and multi-use meeting space on the mezzanine. Tom Gaglardi, CEO of Northland Properties, commented: “'The opening of Sandman Signature Fort Worth Downtown Hotel is an exciting addition to our portfolio and strengthens our growth in Texas. Fort Worth offers a vibrant downtown experience rich in culture, history, and southern hospitality. We are incredibly proud to be part of this community and delighted to welcome our hotel guests and local restaurant and bar visitors to enjoy a particularly special hospitality experience that encompasses the beautifully designed historical touchpoints of this iconic building." In addition to taking advantage of the hotel's Signature branded perks, guests can enjoy a first-class onsite dining experience on the lower ground floor at the famed Musume Restaurant. Owned by Dallas's Rock Libations Restaurant Group, Musume offers contemporary Asian cuisine and world-class sushi. The restaurant also features the country's most extensive premium sake program with over 120 selections and the largest Japanese Whiskey selection in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. "We're so excited to partner with a prestigious hotel brand such as Sandman Signature. As a born and bred Texas & Dallas Fort Worth native, bringing Musume to Fort Worth means so much to me. Fort Worth has transformed into such a lively city while keeping its southern roots. I think Musume will be a great addition to the vibrant downtown area," said Joshua Babb, Co-Founder, Rock Libations Restaurant Group. The newest Sandman Signature location offers guests close proximity to some of the city’s most vibrant downtown neighborhoods. Districts such as Sundance Square, Cultural District, and Fort Worth’s historical Stockyards provide fun, culture, ample shopping, and art galleries, with a wide variety of unique dining and entertainment options. Meanwhile, corporate guests will be able to take advantage of being only a block away from Fort Worth Convention Center. Sandman Signature Fort Worth Downtown Hotel is truly a one-of-a-kind, and our team of dedicated hospitality professionals invites you to be the first to experience this unique guest experience with our Opening Celebration Rate: Stay between now – September 4, 2023, and save up to 50% off the Standard Rate with our Opening Celebration Offer. Book your reservation now at sandmanhotels.com or call 1-800-SANDMAN. Remember to sign up to RSVP Rewards to begin earning points toward free hotel stays as well as other perks. About Sandman Hotel Group Sandman Hotel Group is a collection of economy, midscale, and premium hotel brands found in 5 countries worldwide. It is owned and operated by Northland Properties Corporation - the force behind well-known brands such as The Sutton Place Hotels, Denny's Canada, Moxies, Chop Steakhouse & Bar, Shark Club, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, Grouse Mountain Resort, Dallas Stars NHL Team, and Northland Asset Management Company.

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Travel Technology

Cover Genius Enters into Partnership with Spirit Airlines

Spirit Airlines | September 13, 2023

Cover Genius announced entering into a partnership with Spirit Airlines. By integrating the company's XCover, Cover Genius empowers its partners to provide personalized protection options during the checkout process. Through this partnership, Spirit Airlines' passengers enjoy a top-tier experience, featuring straightforward protection options during booking and seamless digital claims processing. On September 12, 2023, Cover Genius, a leading insurtech for embedded protection, providing a global distribution platform for any insurance or other type of protection, announced a partnership with Spirit Airlines, a market leader in offering customizable travel options starting with an unbundled fare. This integration with Cover Genius' award-winning global distribution platform, XCover, will offer Spirit Airlines' non-US and non-Canadian citizen passengers the opportunity to purchase personalized embedded protection. This coverage comes with the added benefit of a swift claims process, marking the first time such an option is available to them. Cover Genius, selected as the insurtech partner for some of the world's largest airlines, empowers its partners to provide customized protection options during the checkout process. These options can be flexibly bundled or unbundled to cater to each customer's specific requirements. With licenses or authorizations spanning over 60 countries and encompassing all 50 US states, Cover Genius enables partners to effortlessly extend protection to customers from any location, facilitating international expansion. Rana Ghosh, Vice President of Omnichannel Sales at Spirit Airlines, said, We are committed to providing our Guests with the best value in the sky, unbundled fares and customizable travel options. [Source – Globe Newswire] Partnering with Cover Genius enables them to augment the Guest experience. It allows them to provide customized travel protection for various regions and destinations, added Ghosh. Through the partnership, Spirit Airlines' passengers enjoy a best-in-class experience with straightforward protection options while booking and seamless digital claims processing. The management of Guests' requirements, starting from the initial sale to administration and claims, is efficiently handled by Cover Genius' consumer brand, XCover.com. This exceptional service has led to an industry-leading post-claims Net Promoter Score (NPS) of +65. Furthermore, the award-winning service design has demonstrated a remarkable 7x reduction in support tickets. Angus McDonald, CEO and Co-Founder of Cover Genius, stated, We are thrilled to partner with Spirit Airlines to help international travelers feel more confident in their booking. [Source – Globe Newswire] While embedded protection in travel is a common practice, many airlines provide customers with a standard one-size-fits-all policy that fails to address the varying needs of different travelers. The approach has been changed to offer customers flexible protection, customized according to their itinerary or destination, and supported by real-time data. Additionally, customers benefit from a hassle-free claims process that includes instant payments in more than 90 currencies, said McDonald. International Guests with Spirit Airlines now have the choice to acquire embedded protection supported by XCover. Notably, Spirit Airlines presently serves 27 destinations spanning 14 countries outside of the United States.

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Travel Technology

Omega World Travel Offers Extensive Blended Travel Experiences

prnewswire | July 31, 2023

Omega World Travel now offers even more extensive options for the busy business traveler -blended travel! Through blended travel, Omega provides an enhanced experience that combines the best of business and leisure. Business travelers can make the most of their valuable time by adding a vacation before, during, or after a work event. Tim Wrigley, Omega's Director of Business Development, explains the growing demand for blended travel: "When working with our corporate and government customers, I am always asked 'Can our employees book their personal trips with Omega?'. While the answer has always been yes, we can now help business and government travelers in a much more compelling way. What excites us most about our new vacation portal is that Omega World Travel is truly a single source for all travel, regardless of travel purpose. Business, government, groups and meetings, vacation -at some point it all becomes blended travel." Omega's Leisure Travel Experts plan specialized experiences ranging from America's national park tours to national and international luxury cruises. Travelers can explore the majestic sights of the western US, hiking on our most iconic trails, including Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and the Grand Canyon. These all-inclusive tours allow business travelers to relax and enjoy a stress-free vacation during which they are fully supported by Omega's experts. As a leader in the Internet retail travel marketplace, Omega provides luxurious excursions at heavily discounted rates. Through Cruise.com, a wholly owned Omega subsidiary and one of the largest online cruise sellers, LuxuryTravelTeam.com, HomesAndVillasInternational.com, and TourDeals.com, we provide low-cost, high-quality vacations around the world. In fact, our clients can benefit from negotiated group savings of up to 70%. And when it comes to adventure, the options are limitless: whitewater rafting, scuba diving, mountain climbing, biking, jungle treks, and zero-gravity flights. With Omega's Customized Vacation Portal, we have consolidated the best of our leisure services capabilities: Cruise.com, highly experienced Vacation Travel Counselors, online hotel booking, global destinations, tour packages, and local in-country excursions. Omega's Portal also offers travelers around-the-clock travel support and self-booking options. Omega can further tailor the portal for each individual company. Each client can receive their own URL branded with their company or organization's name which will be linked to their company site. Omega is also able to tailor leisure marketing materials, such as fliers and brochures, to highlight discounts and special programs that clients can offer to their employees. Whether it's an African safari or a Caribbean cruise, Omega's blended travel options provide the best of both worlds -a unique, personalized, combined business and leisure experience. Let the Omega Leisure Travel Experts plan your blended travel adventure within the US or abroad! AboutOmega World Travel Omega World Travelis a Woman Owned travel management company, a full-service travel agency, and a leader in the internet retail travel marketplace. The largest woman-owned travel management company in the U.S., Omega designs customized travel management programs for corporate, government, and nonprofit clients. Omega's travel service offerings include its wholly-owned meeting, conference, and event management services. Omega also owns Cruise.com, one of the largest sellers of cruises online, and Travtech, a technology development company.

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